A pervert who tried to get a 13-year-old girl to send him sexual images of herself during a “sickening” chat has been spared prison.
Gavin Noble thought he was talking to a real child when he engaged in sexualised messages but he was actually communicating with a law enforcement officer running a decoy profile. The 25-year-old was not put off after being told her tender age and sent an explicit video of himself while requesting similar material from her.
Now Noble, described as immature and as behaving like a 15-year-old by his mother, has been given a suspended prison sentence by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.
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The court heard the exchange with the decoy profile took place over Snapchat at the end of last year. When sent a picture, he said “you’re cute” and sent photographs of himself at work, not showing his face.
The law enforcement officer then told him she was 13 and that he could block her if he wanted but he replied: “No we are not doing anything wrong.”
Neil Jones, prosecuting, said: “He sent an image of his penis. The law enforcement officer sent more pictures and he said “wow you look good, can I see more”. Then he sent a video of himself masturbating.” Noble requested more images, including of her genitals and told her to touch herself.
Noble, of Grey Street, North Shields, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity between November and December 2022. He was sentenced to 16 months suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation. He must also sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years.
Judge Tim Gittins told him: “It was described as a single chat but it was a sickening chat for anyone to have with someone of that age, as you believed them to be.
“In the pre-sentence report you blame it on circumstances in relation to your then-relationship and blame work colleagues in offering you cocaine. But the fact is none of those circumstances explain really you making the choice to engage in that sort of chat with someone so young.
“It could well have been someone not just of that age but with their own anguish and problems that you would be exacerbating. You suggest at times you were bored but it’s clear your intention was sexual gratification.
“However I think there’s a real intention to work with experienced professionals to understand what you were doing and prevent any relapses. There is a significant prospect of rehabilitation.”
Mark Harrison, defending, said Noble’s mother is “furious but supportive” and added: “He is acutely ashamed of his behaviour. He has sat with his mum while we went through the documents in the case. He has spoken to her at length and been entirely candid with her about the position he has found himself in.
“He was in a poor state of mind in autumn last year. His mother had pneumonia and having difficulties with his then-girlfriend. His mother has a diagnosis of depression and anxiety and she was shocked and horrified at the behaviour.
“He can’t rightly explain why he had this chat. There was but one offending conversation – it’s not one of a series of people he has been seeking out. There was a degree of tacit, or perhaps more than tacit, encouragement from the person on the other side of the chat.
“That doesn’t excuse the behaviour but feeds into the disinhibition and lack of maturity.
“The best that can be said is it’s not prolonged. There’s never a request to meet up in person and the conversation appears to fizzle out relatively quickly
“The police took his devices and other than some use of adult pornography there was nothing that led to a deeper concern in terms of his interest in children or child pornography.
“He had significant learning difficulties at school and moved to special education in his last year at school. His mother said he is 25 but sometimes goes on like he’s 15. ” Mr Harrison added that Noble was taking cocaine at the time but is no longer doing so or drinking alcohol.
